Terrified
by Areyl
Summary: The big secret is out: Maya likes Lucas. Now the question is does Lucas like Maya? In the midst of big life changes, Riley and Maya are faced with difficult decisions that can turn their friendship upside down. Can love and friendship both win out in the end? Read and find out!
1. Chapter One: The Talk

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from _Girl Meets World._

 _Well…the brilliant writers of Girl Meets World sunk my beautiful Lucaya ship this weekend so here we are. This is only the first chapter so don't despair. There will be plenty of Lucaya to come. Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter One: The Talk**

It had finally happened. The day Maya had been dreading finally came to pass and the big secret was out. Well technically two big secrets were out but who's really counting anymore? The point was that life as Maya and her friends had known it had been turned upside down and no one seemed to know how to make things right again.

Two weeks ago she was in Texas with her best friends in the world, and now here she was dating one of those friends. Maya didn't expect this to happen. Never in a million years would she have even anticipated liking the same guy as her best friend, Riley. The two girls had such distinct preferences for so many other things that Maya naturally assumed their taste in guys would never overlap. Life had a very cruel way of showing them otherwise.

Maya heaved a deep sigh of exasperation as she let her eyes wander over the colorful array of paper mobiles that hung on the ceiling of the art room. She had just spent the last half hour laying on one of the art tables, mulling over the emotional rollercoaster ride that was currently her life.

"Why me?" Maya groaned as she buried her face in her hands.

Suddenly she heard a knock on the door. Maya sat up as Lucas entered the room and the two teenagers exchanged timid smiles.

"Sorry I'm late," Lucas said as he set his backpack down. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Maya quickly replied with a brush of her hand. "I was just…thinking about my painting for the art exhibit next week."

Lucas's gaze moved to a large canvas across the room. Half of the canvas was covered in shades of blue paint that was still wet. Within the sea of blue, Lucas could make out the dark silhouette of a large, leafless tree that hovered over the edge of an unfinished lake.

"I was working on it earlier," Maya explained as she studied her painting. "But I couldn't really get myself to finish it."

Lucas met her gaze. "Well what you have so far looks incredible. You're a good artist, Maya."

"Thanks Ranger Rick," she quipped in hopes of dispelling the insidious awkwardness that followed them around like an unwelcome guest.

Lucas felt it as well as he shifted uncomfortably in their brief conversational lull.

"So I was thinking about where to go for our date tonight," he said at last.

"Yeah, about that…" Maya interrupted.

She took a big gulp as she slid off the table and stood next to Lucas. It was now or never.

"I don't think we should go out tonight," she said without meeting his gaze.

Confused by her statement, Lucas hesitated before saying, "Okay…well we can stay in and watch a movie at my place if you–"

"No, Lucas," Maya said firmly. "I mean I don't think we should go out on these dates anymore."

"Wait," Lucas said, taken aback. "I thought you liked me."

"I _do_ like you," Maya insisted. "But it hit me recently that I never even bothered to ask if you feel the same way about me."

Lucas was speechless when he realized that Maya was right. Amidst the drama that had unfolded since the trip to Texas, everyone had been so concerned about what Riley and Maya were going to do that no one seemed to question his feelings on the whole matter. Until now.

"So?" Maya quietly said, breaking him from his thoughts. "Do you even _like_ me?"

"Of course I like you Maya."

"You know what I mean, Lucas."

Lucas could tell she was holding her breath, bracing herself for an unstated answer that she was afraid to confront. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her but he didn't want to lie to her either.

"I think you're an amazing girl, Maya, but...no, I don't know how I feel about you," he finally stated. And that was the truth.

A faint shadow of anguish quickly passed over Maya's face as her blue eyes threatened to fill with tears.

"Listen, Lucas. I don't wanna be the second option just because Riley took herself out of the running."

At that moment, Lucas felt lower than dirt and inexplicably guilty like someone who had been caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. He watched as Maya stepped away to put some distance between them.

"So I guess this is it then," she said, forcing a smile.

Lucas frowned. "Are you mad at me?"

"Why should I be? I can't blame you for how you feel, Huckleberry."

"So what happens now?"

Maya shrugged. "We go back to the way things were; just two good friends who look out for each other."

After a few moments of thoughtful silence, the two teenagers gathered their things and headed out the door. They exchanged an awkward farewell and made their way down opposite ends of the empty hallway. Though it was Maya's best intention to try and relieve some of the burden of their dilemma, neither Maya nor Lucas was truly convinced that they could ever go back to simpler times. However it seemed like they had no choice but to try.

* * *

 _Don't hesitate to leave a review! Thanks a million!_


	2. Chapter Two: More Than Meets The Eye

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from _Girl Meets World._

 _Hello everyone! Thank you for the kind reviews so far. I'm glad to see that there's some consensus about how things went down in the Texas episodes. Anyway, I wanted to share a little fun fact with you all. The title of this story is based on a song by Katharine McPhee called "Terrified". Be sure to check it out; I think it's like the perfect Lucaya song._

 _Enjoy the new chapter!_

* * *

 **Chapter Two: More Than Meets The Eye**

"So let me get this straight," Zay said after swallowing a mouthful of popcorn. "Maya doesn't wanna date you anymore?"

"Yes," Lucas replied.

"But she still likes you?"

"Yup."

"And you don't know how you feel about her?"

"No."

"But you still like Riley?"

"No," Lucas hesitated. "I mean yes. I mean I don't even know anymore!"

After Maya had called off their date, Lucas decided to call Zay and Farkle over for an impromptu movie night. Once the topic of Riley and Maya was brought up however the movie was immediately forgotten and became nothing more than background noise in the dimly lit living room. Lucas sat on the edge of the couch between Zay and Farkle with his head hung low. He still felt awful when he thought back to the conversation he had with Maya just hours before.

"What's your take on this, Farkle?" Zay said, craning his neck over to meet his friend's gaze.

"Well if I'm doing the math right, it sounds like Maya just took herself out of the equation."

"Yeah but why?" Lucas asked with a slight edge to his voice.

"She told you why, Lucas," Farkle calmly explained. "She wants to know that you're dating her because you genuinely like her, not because you didn't have any other choice."

"So now Riley _and_ Maya are both out of the picture," Zay chimed in. "Seems like things just got a lot less complicated."

Lucas let out an exasperated sigh and sunk back into the couch.

"Then why doesn't it feel less complicated?"

Farkle took a swig of his soda before saying, "Well choosing between two amazing girls like Riley and Maya isn't exactly as easy as choosing your favorite ice cream flavor. There's a lot more feelings involved."

"I don't know about that," Zay said. "Going to the ice cream store gets pretty emotional for me."

And with that, all three boys let out a sigh of defeat before turning their attention back to the movie.

* * *

Meanwhile at Topanga's Café, Riley was having a surprisingly enjoyable afternoon out with Charlie. After deciding that "not talking" on their dates wasn't exactly the best way to get to know each other, Riley soon learned that she and Charlie had a lot more in common than she previously thought. In fact, she had things in common with Charlie that she didn't even have in common with Lucas and strangely enough she found that rather refreshing.

"So Jell-O or pudding?" Riley asked as she took a sip of her hot cocoa.

"Jell-O definitely." Charlie replied without hesitation.

"Why?"

"Because who doesn't enjoy eating a desert with a name as fun to say as Jell-O?"

Riley's brown eyes grew wide. "That's how I feel! Nobody ever gets that!"

"Well I'm glad to know we have another thing in common," Charlie said with a sincere smile.

Riley could feel a slight blush creep up her face as she timidly tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Listen Charlie," she said after a while. "I'm sorry I didn't really give you a chance in the beginning. This whole Lucas and Maya thing has just been really confusing."

"It's okay," he assured her. "I know it hasn't exactly been easy for you and I don't expect your feelings for Lucas to go away overnight."

Taken aback by his statement, Riley gave a nervous laugh.

"What are you talking about? I don't have any more feelings for Lucas. He's like a brother to me."

Before Charlie could reply, Corey approached them holding a freshly warmed apple strudel on a small plate. He placed the plate on the coffee table in front of the two teenagers, deliberately interrupting them.

"I hate to interrupt," he said with a knowing smile. "But I just wanted to remind you two that there's twenty minutes left until the curfew so you better start saying your good-byes now."

"Thanks Dad," Riley said with an exaggerated expression. "This is only the seventh time you've come over to remind us about the curfew."

"Just wanted to make sure we're still on schedule, Pumpkin," he said as he gave her a gentle pat on the head. "It's still a school night after all."

Riley waited until her overprotective father was out of earshot before turning to Charlie with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that," she said. "He's still getting used to this whole dating thing."

"Well it seems like we're all getting used to it," he said understandingly. "Anyway, I should probably take the hint from your dad and get going."

"Oh," Riley said, surprised that she felt more disappointed at the thought of his departure than she was willing to admit.

"This was fun." Charlie stood up and his lips pulled into a boyish smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, Riley."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow," Riley said with a small wave of her hand.

"Have a good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews!" he said as he made his way out the door.

Riley watched as Charlie disappeared into the crowd of people who walked by. A peculiar sensation was stirring in the pit of her stomach, both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. She recognized the feeling from when she first started crushing on Lucas. Immediately, Riley shook the thought out of her mind, insisting to herself that there was no way she could ever like another guy the way she had liked – and still liked – Lucas.

* * *

 _I love reading your feedback so be sure to review!_


	3. Chapter Three: Mixed Emotions

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from _Girl Meets World._

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Mixed Emotions**

The next morning came too soon as the halls of John Quincy Adams Middle School buzzed with eager chatter about upcoming weekend plans, including the camping field trip Cory Matthews's class would be taking. Riley was at her locker getting her getting her assignments sorted for the day when Maya tapped her lightly on the shoulder. Though Riley broke out into an amicable smile, the air around them immediately grew heavy.

"Hey Maya," she said.

"Hey Riles," Maya said, offering a warm albeit hesitant smile of her own. "How's it going?"

"Oh you know," Riley said, gesturing to the stack of papers in her hands. "Just getting all my homework together."

An awkward silence settled between them as the two girls dropped their gaze to the floor. Maya nervously bit her lip and Riley fiddled with the papers she was holding. All the while, they wracked their minds for an innocuous topic to bring up. Although both girls knew that the the topic of boys – specifically Lucas – was off limits these days, it seemed like that was all they could ever think to talk about.

"So…" Maya said tentatively. "How was your date with Charlie last night?"

 _So much for a safe topic,_ Maya thought mentally kicking herself.

"It was good. I actually had a good time with him last night."

Maya raised a curious eyebrow at her best friend, surprised to see Riley responding genuinely about her date with Charlie. Maya couldn't be fooled and she knew that Riley still had feelings for Lucas.

"Really?" Maya said, suddenly intrigued. "What did you guys do?"

"We just hung out and talked," Riley replied, pausing briefly to replay last night's events in her mind. "It was nice getting to know him. We have a lot more in common than I thought."

Maya's lips pulled into a sincere smile. "That's great. I'm glad you had a good time."

Riley bit her lip as if to stop herself from speaking but after a moment's hesitation she finally blurted, "What about you and Lucas? How was your date last night?"

Maya hardly flinched, already expecting the question to come.

"Actually, there is no me and Lucas anymore," Maya slowly replied.

"I'm sorry, what?" Riley asked, hardly believing what her blonde friend was saying.

Maya took a deep breath as if to prepare herself for a lengthy explanation.

"I broke up with Lucas, Riles."

"But why?" Riley said, still trying to wrap her mind around the meaning of Maya's words. "I thought you liked Lucas."

"I do like Lucas," Maya admitted looking Riley straight in the eye. "The problem is Lucas doesn't like me _that_ way."

"Oh…" was all Riley could manage, unsure of what she could say to console her best friend. "I'm so sorry, Maya."

Maya shrugged and forced a smile. "It's okay. It's not the end of the world."

Riley knew Maya well enough to see past her façade. She noted the way Maya's blue eyes appeared tired and swollen, and guessed that her friend undoubtedly spent last night crying herself to sleep. Riley could see that she was fighting hard to keep from falling apart even though she was deeply heartbroken.

It upset her immensely to see Maya this way; but beyond that, Riley harbored another uncomfortable feeling. _Guilt._ There was a small part of her that actually felt _relieved_ to hear that Maya and Lucas had broken up. How could she be happy about this? What kind of best friend was she?

Before the two girls could discuss it further, they were suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Farkle and Lucas.

"Good morning, ladies," Farkle cheerfully greeted in spite of the palpable unease that filled the air.

"Hey," the two girls greeted in unison as they both tried to avoid Lucas's gaze.

"So the cafeteria is having a pancake buffet to celebrate Pancake Day," Lucas offered, hoping to dissipate the tension. "Do you guys wanna go and get pancakes before we go to class?"

"That sounds like fun," Riley said brightly, turning to Maya for approval.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna sit this one out," Maya said half-heartedly. "I gotta go and finish that painting for the art exhibit."

"How can you say no to pancakes on Pancake Day?" Farkle exclaimed, hoping to change her mind.

"I know, I know," Maya said apologetically as she raised her hands in defense. "But I'm not even really that hungry. Anyway I better get going. I'll see you guys in class."

Before anyone else could protest, Maya quickly made her exit and accidentally brushed Lucas as she walked by. The slight physical contact sparked a strange surge of emotions in the two teenagers. Maya promptly picked up her pace and Lucas felt the nagging urge to grab her and convince her otherwise. Instead he watched as Maya's petite frame disappeared down the crowded hall, surprised by the disappointment he felt from her absence. All the while, Riley observed the two and wondered sadly if things between her friends would ever go back to normal.

* * *

 _Please leave a review!_


	4. Chapter Four: Seating Arrangements

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from _Girl Meets World._

 _Hello everyone! Just wanted to quickly say thank you for all your wonderful reviews! It's always good to hear about your thoughts and reactions._

 _Enjoy the new chapter!_

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Seating Arrangements**

Corey Matthews knew that waves of change were coming long before his daughter and her friends left for Texas. He saw it with his own two eyes, these subtle changes that were happening in the way Maya and Lucas regarded one another. Call it what you want – teacher's insight or father's intuition. Either way, Corey Matthews knew long before most that some of his favorite students were going to undergo some growing pains and he felt helpless to stop it. But he also knew that experience was the ultimate teacher for this kind of life lesson. And so with the desperate hope that everything would turn out for the best, all Corey could do was vigilantly watch as Riley and her friends navigated the tumultuous waters of young love.

"And so Lewis, Clark, and Sacagawea, through their bravery and teamwork, traveled into uncharted territory where they met new people and explored new lands."

Corey scanned the room with a tight-lipped smile, baffled by how uncharacteristically quiet his class was today. _Then again I shouldn't be surprised,_ he thought as he glanced at Riley who was absentmindedly taking notes and then at Maya whose tired eyes were staring off into space.

"Alright," Corey said with single clap of his hands. "I think that wraps up our lesson for today. Before I dismiss you guys, I want to remind all of you to look over your checklist again for our field trip tomorrow. Remember we'll be camping out there for two nights so it's important that you pack all the essentials."

"Yeah Farkle, don't forget to pack that extra underwear," Zay said with a hearty chuckle.

"I also went ahead and divided you all into groups of three," Corey continued, happy to see the class perk up at the mention of their field trip. "Remember, your goal on this trip is to work together just like Lewis, Clark, and Sacagawea to complete the tasks that I've planned while we're out there in the 'wilderness'."

"Can a state park really even be considered the 'wilderness'?" Maya quipped as a small smirk tugged at her lips.

"For a group of city kids like you, it's as much wilderness as you're going to get," Corey replied. "Now for the group assignments. Riley, Lucas, and Farkle consider yourselves a group."

Riley's head shot up in surprise as her gaze moved from Maya to Lucas and back.

"The next group is Maya, Zay, and Charlie."

Corey continued announcing the group assignments for the rest of the class as Riley, Maya, and Lucas eyed each other apprehensively in stunned silence.

"Well I didn't see that coming," Zay muttered to Farkle as he observed the trio before him.

"It should be an interesting trip," Farkle replied, following Zay's gaze.

"After the Texas trip, I don't know how much more interesting it can get."

* * *

Friday afternoon couldn't come any faster. As soon as the dismissal bell rang, the halls of the school flooded with students eager to go home and enjoy a weekend of fun and relaxation. The students in Corey Matthews's class however were excited for another reason. After school, they all gathered in the parking lot where two buses and several parent chaperones awaited them. Among them was Lucas's mother, Grace Friar. Lucas immediately spotted her from a distance, her chestnut brown hair blowing in the breeze as she waved to him.

"There's my boy," she said in lilting Southern accent. "You know I'd hug you right now but I don't wanna embarrass you in front of all your friends."

"Thanks Mom," Lucas said with a reluctant smile. "I know you've met Farkle, but I don't think I've introduced you to Riley and Maya yet."

"Hi, Mrs. Friar," Riley greeted with a small wave of her hand.

"Well aren't you just darling," Grace said with an endearing smile. "And you must be the Blonde Beauty I've heard so much about."

Lucas cleared his throat before she could continue.

"Mom…" he said with a tone of caution.

Maya could only smile shyly in return and wonder if Lucas's mother even knew about them dating and breaking up.

"I'm sorry," Grace said understandingly. "I'm just excited to meet all of you. I'm glad to see that Lucas has made some good friends up here. Anyway, Lucas dear why don't you help me load these things onto the bus."

"Sure thing," Lucas obliged, happy to occupy her before she could embarrass him further.

He grabbed a couple of duffel bags from his mother and walked with her to one of the buses as Riley and the others trailed behind. They found Corey standing by the luggage compartment on the side of the bus, dutifully directing the influx of students and chaperones. Upon spotting his daughter and her friends, he broke out into a wide grin.

"Ah, there you are," he said, gesturing to the luggage compartment. "You guys can put your things in here. We'll be boarding in about five minutes."

"So you must be Mr. Matthews," Grace said, reaching out to shake his hand. "Grace Friar, Lucas's mother. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Corey and Grace continued to exchange pleasantries as Riley and the others placed their belongings into the luggage compartment. Just as Riley finished putting down her things, she turned around and came face-to-face with Charlie. Startled, Riley nearly stumbled back until Charlie grabbed her arm and steadied her.

"Thanks Charlie," Riley said, a small blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Don't mention it," he replied as put his bags in the compartment. "By the way, are you sitting with anyone on the bus?"

"Uh…" Riley hesitated and glanced at Maya uncertainly. "I think Maya and I are–"

"It's okay, Riles," Maya said with a reassuring smile. "I can sit with Farkle."

"Actually," Farkle voiced upon hearing his name. "I'm sitting with Zay."

"Yeah, sorry Maya," Zay added. "But we already planned on watching the new Zaliens movie on Farkle's tablet. Two epic hours of Zaliens brain sucking madness!"

Farkle and Zay placed their hands on each other's heads and shook violently as if they were being electrocuted.

"Buzzzzzz!" they said in unison.

Maya raised a curious eyebrow at her two friends when a thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Then that means I have to sit with…" Maya's voice trailed when she realized who was left without a seating partner.

As if on cue, Lucas appeared by her side and said, "So what did I miss?"

"Unbelievable," Maya muttered as she narrowed her eyes at him.

Without another word, she rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner and walked off to board the bus. Unsure of how to remedy the situation, Riley hastily went after Maya followed by Charlie. Lucas stood watching them as his brow creased in confusion.

"What's going on?" he asked Farkle and Zay.

Zay simply shook his head and gave Lucas an empathetic pat on the back.

"Just be ready for a _looong_ ride, my friend."

* * *

 _So I couldn't resist; I had to make an_ Austin & Ally _reference lol. Please leave a review!_


	5. Chapter Five: Delightful Diversions

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from _Girl Meets World._ I also do no own the songs and comics I make references to in this chapter.

 _Sorry for the wait! You know these chapters don't write themselves (although I wish they did sometimes)._

 _Happy reading!_

* * *

 **Chapter Five: Delightful Diversions**

An aggravated Maya marched down the aisle and plopped unceremoniously into an empty seat midway through the bus. Pretending like she was okay with being friendly with Lucas took more of an emotional toll on her than she anticipated. Days like today made her just want to crawl under and rock and disappear for an indefinite amount of time. Before Maya could dwell further on the matter, Riley suddenly appeared beside her.

She smiled understandingly and asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to sit with you? Lucas and Charlie can find things to talk about."

Maya looked to the seat diagonally across from her where Charlie sat browsing on his phone. It was clear to everyone that he was looking forward to sitting with Riley; he wouldn't have asked otherwise. Maya hated to be the one to take that opportunity away from him, especially knowing how she'd feel if she were in his shoes.

With a deep breath and a feigned smile, Maya replied, "Don't worry, Riles. I'm a big girl. I think I can handle a couple of hours next to Ranger Rick."

"Okay, well if you're sure…" Riley hesitated before standing up. "I'll be right over here if you need me."

"Just check in once a while to make sure I haven't jumped out of the window," Maya quipped.

Lucas appeared just as Riley slipped into her seat.

"You know I'd just grab you if you tried to jump out of this bus," Lucas said, overhearing the latter part of the girls' conversation.

"You think you're so clever, don't you?" Maya jeered as she watched Lucas slide in beside her and heave his backpack onto his lap.

Corey Matthews boarded the bus last and made some final announcements before settling into his seat in the front of the bus with one of the parent chaperones. The bus driver then started the engine and prepared to pull out of the parking lot. Many of the students had already started to occupy themselves with their phones, tablets, or books. Even Farkle and Zay, who were sitting in the seat in front of Maya and Lucas, were already engrossed in their movie.

"What do you have in there?" asked Maya, suddenly noticing the bulk of Lucas's backpack.

"It's my road trip survival kit," Lucas replied as he patted the bag. "I had one for when my parents and I moved here from Texas. The drive was over twenty-six hours so I needed some stuff to keep myself entertained."

Maya gave a long drawn-out whistle. "Well I hate to break it to ya, cowboy, but this is only a three hour drive at most."

"And how exactly do you plan on entertaining yourself for the next three hours?"

"You mean besides annoying you?" Maya said with a mischievous smile. She then reached into her own bag and pulled out her sketchbook.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I figured I'd do some drawing."

"May I?" Lucas asked, eyeing the sketchbook.

Maya wordlessly handed him the spiraled book and watched as he slowly flipped through some of her sketches. Lucas could see that Maya drew a lot of her inspiration from the people and places in her life. The pages were filled with numerous sketches of Riley, some of her mother, and some of friends from school. There were also sketches of various locations around the city like the park and Topanga's Café.

"Like I've always said, you're a great artist, Maya," said Lucas as he handed her back the book. "Have you ever considered drawing comics?"

Maya's forehead wrinkled in slight confusion. "Comics?"

"Yeah." Lucas placed his backpack on the floor between his legs, unzipped it, and pulled out a comic book. "Like this one."

Maya took the comic book from Lucas and studied the front cover curiously. It depicted a hooded figure wearing what looked like a redesigned red, black, and white Spiderman costume. Across the top of the cover was the title _Spider Gwen._

"It's about this girl named Gwen who gets bitten by a radioactive spider, like Peter Parker in Spiderman," Lucas explained. "The storyline's pretty good but I think you'll really appreciate the artwork too."

Maya skimmed through the book and let her blue eyes scan over the various panels of drawings. Lucas wasn't kidding; the illustrations were dynamic and enticing. Lucas could sense Maya getting pulled into the story as he watched the subtle changes in her expression as she perused the pages.

"You can read that if you want," he offered. "I have other comics I can read."

"Are you sure?"

Lucas nodded. Maya smiled thankfully and settled comfortably in her seat before turning to page one of _Spider Gwen_.

* * *

Meanwhile, Riley and Charlie were sharing a set of headphones and taking turns choosing songs to listen to from each other's playlist on their phones. It was Riley's turn and she pointed out a song that caught her eye on Charlie's playlist.

"What's that one?" Riley asked, tilting her head in a curious manner.

"Oh, that's an old song my mom used to sing a lot when I was a kid but we can listen to it if you want."

Charlie highlighted the song titled "Only You" and clicked the play button.

 _Looking from a window above_

 _It's like a story of love_

 _Can you hear me?_

 _Came back only yesterday_

 _I'm moving farther away_

 _Want you near me_

As they listened to the song, Riley was acutely aware of her close proximity to Charlie. Because of the limited length of the headphones, they had to sit close with their shoulders nearly touching. She snuck a glance every now and then and smiled at the way Charlie was subtlety mouthing the lyrics of the song. Strangely enough, she found it rather adorable.

 _All I needed was the love you gave_

 _All I needed for another day_

 _And all I ever knew_

 _Only you_

"This is a great song, Charlie," said Riley. "Does your mom still sing it a lot?"

A look of gloom seemed to pass over Charlie's features as he paused the song.

"Actually, no," he started, his eyes downcast. "She passed away in a car accident when I was ten."

Riley's jaw dropped into surprise as she was rendered speechless.

"I-I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say."

"It's okay," he said with a small reassuring smile. "You didn't know."

Charlie gestured to his phone where he pulled up a folder in his playlist titled "Mom's Favorites".

"My mom loved music and she always said that a good song is any song that you can sing to. So whenever I feel sad about anything, I just pull up some of her favorite songs and sing them."

"Oh, I kind of do the same thing," Riley said eagerly. "I have different songs for my different moods."

Charlie chuckled. "Somehow I can believe that. So what's your go-to song for when you're feeling happy?"

"Oh you don't wanna hear that," Riley said half-jokingly.

"Sure I do," Charlie insisted. "You got to listen to one of my happy songs. Besides, it's your turn to pick."

"It's a little embarrassing…"

"Try me."

"Okay, but you have to promise not to laugh," she conceded.

Riley switched the headphones from Charlie's phone to her phone and scanned through her playlist without showing Charlie. When she finally found what she was looking for, she clicked on the song and braced herself. Riley watched as Charlie's face brightened with sheer amusement upon recognizing the song.

"Your go-to happy song is a remix to the Little Einsteins theme song?"

Riley swiftly covered his mouth with her hand and in a low threatening voice said, "Yes, and if you tell anyone I will make you disappear."

"Your secret is safe with me," Charlie said once Riley uncovered his mouth.

"I told you it was embarrassing. I got hooked on it one summer when I had to babysit Auggie every morning for a whole week. He was obsessed with Little Einsteins at the time."

"I think it's a great song."

"You do?"

"Yeah, I do," he said with a sincere smile.

"Thanks, Charlie," Riley said as she held his gaze and smiled back.

* * *

Two hours quickly flew by as the buses neared their destination. Farkle and Zay were close to finishing their movie while Riley and Charlie were playing several rounds of Hangman in Riley's notebook. An idea had struck Maya like a lightning bolt while she was reading _Spider Gwen,_ which had prompted her to abandon the comic and pull out her sketchbook. She began sketching away in her book, only looking up every so often to steal a glance at Lucas who was reading his comics.

"Okay, why do you keep staring at me?" Lucas finally voiced after catching Maya scrutinizing him for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last hour.

"Wait for it…" Maya said as she added some finishing touches to her drawing. "Tada!"

Maya turned her notebook around to reveal a detailed drawing of Lucas dressed in a superhero outfit with a stylized "L" on his chest. He was posed akimbo above a vast cityscape as his cape billowed in the wind. Written across the top in 3D letters was "Lucas the Good".

"'Lucas the Good'?" Lucas said pointedly. "You just couldn't resist, could you?"

"It was either this or Lone Ranger Rick and his trusty steed, Bullseye," Maya said, biting her lip to stifle a laugh.

"I'm glad you went with this then," Lucas said as he took the sketchbook from Maya and studied the drawing more closely.

The amount of detail Maya put into the picture genuinely amazed him. The quality of the picture was nearly indistinguishable from the comics in his backpack.

"This is incredible, Maya."

"I'm glad you think so, cowboy, 'cause it's yours."

"What?"

Without warning, Maya grabbed the sketchbook from Lucas's hands and tore the drawing from the spiral binding.

"You can keep it," Maya said, pushing the drawing toward Lucas.

"Maya, I don't think–"

"Trust me, Lucas," Maya insisted. "I _want_ you to have it."

Lucas didn't like the idea of taking something she worked so hard on from her, though he deeply appreciated the gesture. But he could see from the gleam in Maya's eyes that she was not going to take no for an answer.

"Thank you, Maya," he said sincerely. "This is one of the coolest things anyone's ever done for me."

"Don't mention it," Maya said, returning his smile. "And here, I should give this back to you."

She held out the _Spider Gwen_ comic to Lucas.

"No, you keep it."

Maya's face scrunched in bewilderment. "What? No, I can't."

"Yeah, your awesome drawing for my comic book."

"That doesn't seem like a fair trade to me."

"It's a perfectly fair trade."

Before Maya could argue the matter any further, the bus soon came to a halt as it approached the entrance of a massive state park. All the students stopped what they were doing to peek out their windows at the tall verdant trees that surrounded the area.

"Wow, that's beautiful," Maya murmured as she admired the trees.

For a moment, Lucas let his eyes trace over the soft contours of her face before replying, "Yeah, it is beautiful."

"I can't believe we're gonna be spending the next two nights out here."

Lucas quietly nodded as both teenagers wondered about the adventures that awaited them out in the forest.

* * *

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